Characteristics of bronchial asthma in children during the war in Ukraine

Aim - to study the features of the course of bronchial asthma (BA) in children during the war in Ukraine. Materials and methods. A retrospective analysis of medical records was conducted for 145 children aged 5-17 years diagnosed with BA of varying severity from 2014 to May 2024. All children were divided into two groups: before the start of the war (Group I, n=72) and after the start of the war (Group II, n=73). The following parameters were analyzed: gender, age, BA phenotype, severity of BA, level of BA control, number of exacerbations per year, sensitization profile, basic therapy, and presence of comorbidities. Results. Among the children in the Group II, there was a significantly higher frequency of severe BA cases (23% compared to 11%), with corresponding basic therapy using inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists (ICS/LABA) (30% compared to 14%), an increased number of patients with the mixed phenotype (60% compared to 44%) and comorbid BA (97% compared to 86%), as well as patients sensitized to more than 7 allergens (11% compared to 0%). Conclusions. The study results demonstrated a worsening of the course of BA in children during the war in Ukraine, which may be associated with psycho-emotional stress, delayed access to medical care, and the negative impact of environmental pollution. This necessitates further scientific research to study the risk factors related to the war in Ukraine. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.